Curious?

When I started teaching dance history at GMU in January of 2009, the class before mine was taught by GMU psychology professor Todd Kashdan. If I arrived early I could see him lecturing to his students through the window in the door. His energy lit up the room. Students sat up in their desks and leaned forward as if wanting to get closer to his teaching. He was speaking from his personal research and investigations rather than regurgitating something he had read or studied. I decided to buy his book, aptly named Curious? Once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down: Kashdan proposes that curious exploration is integral to a well-lived life. He explains our attraction to friends and situations that allow us to discover new ideas and perspectives. His writing made me think of spending time with Karen who is constantly exploring, and her searching informs her teaching as well as her choreography. When we talked about this blog we discovered we are both curious to hear how colleagues and students have been spending their summers. Have you seen any performances or exhibits? Has material from courses like Teaching Methods or Dance History resonated with your experiences outside the classroom? Have you taken a class that made you feel invincible or at least energized? We hope to hear from you here….